Racial equality in Obama’s America
The Guardian reports that:
“A huge wealth gap has opened up between black and white people in the US over the past quarter of a century – a difference sufficient to put two children through university – because of racial discrimination and economic policies that favour the affluent.
A typical white family is now five times richer than its African-American counterpart of the same class, according to a report released today by Brandeis University in Massachusetts.
White families typically have assets worth $100,000 (£69,000), up from $22,000 in the mid-1980s. African-American families’ assets stand at just $5,000, up from around $2,000.
A quarter of black families have no assets at all. The study monitored more than 2,000 families since 1984.”
The worst campaign ad ever?
The demon sheep ad produced as part of the Republican Senate primary campaign in California is being widely hailed as a pythonesque absurd spoof, but is actually a sign of poor political taste…
read more...»What Went Wrong With Barack Obama?
Barack Obama was always going to find it well night impossible to live up to the expectations that greeted his election in some quarters. Even so, his presidency has been looking more than a little troubled. His personal charisma still goes far (his State of the Union address was masterly, and his televised Question and Answer with Republican senators showed an authority that had them regretting the presence of cameras), which is what perhaps makes the limitations of his governing even more stark. One excellent survey of the ‘Obama problem’ is provided by Edward Luce in the Financial Times. Luce focuses on the four key insiders who were so crucial to Obama’s election in the first place - Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, Communications Chief Robert Gibbs and Senior Advisers David Axelrod and Valerie Jarrett - and criticises the exclusive nature of their relationship with the president. He is still campaigning rather than governing, suggests Luce, and in the process is excluding a host of able and supportive figures.
read more...»The Daily Show does Palin
I’m sure teachers of American Politics won’t need reminding about the virtues of watching the Daily Show, but students may need a gentle reminder.
The episode broadcast in the UK last night contained a hilarious analysis of Sarah Palin’s major speech at the Tea Party conference in Nashville. Palin is a phenomenon and never quite manages to steer herself away from unintended controversy. If you’re not sure what I’m on about watch a replay from the Channel 4 website. Of course, Jon Stewart is presenting from a left wing perspective and I share many of his personal biases, so it may not be to everyone’s taste!!
Two halves of a bank note
How successful has Obama been in delaing with Congress?
Listen to this audio clip from national public radio to find out!
Obama and the State of the Union
Obama’s first State of the Union
I’ve just started the power of the presidency, and intend to use Obama’s address to Congress as part of delivery. Here’s the link to the video
Obama’s approval ratings
Real Clear Politics was a must visit site during the 2008 Presidential Campaign - it continues to provide superb coverage. Here is the link to the regular flow of approval ratings for the President.
Still more Obama - and ideas for a webquest
There’s a useful two page spread on Obama’s presidency one year on in today’s Independent—here is the link to the web version.
The BBC devotes a special section to the one year anniversary.
And see how you get on with the one year quiz!!!
I’m definitely going to use all the abundant material for students to do a webquest presentation on his first year. A nice way to start Unit 4C having just completed the 3C exam. Andy Lawrence has posted details of a similar exercise on Cameron the t2u Pol teachers forum.
More useful Obama article and video links
More interesting stuff on Obama for teaching and learning. A great article on Obama and race here. Younge is a corking journalist who has written two very readable books on the US, which are suggested reading for students of America. He has also made a documentary for the World Service entitled “Opposing Obama”, first airing scheduled for the 1st of Feb. List of times is here.
Andrew Sullivan casts a cool eye over Obama in an article on his first year. Newsnight’s Gavin Esler, a man who spent a few years in the US for the BBC, should be worth watching on Wednesday.
Obama and me on BBC Two might not offer great academic insight, but may give you a slice of insight into modern America.
Top 20 Conservatives and Liberals in America
These lists are always a flawed parlour game, but they are fascinating and they do provoke debate. The Daily Telegraph is the latest to publish lists of the ‘most influential’ American public figures, producing lists for both conservative and liberal individuals. No surprises about Barack Obama as the country’s most influential liberal, but Dick Cheney at the top of the conservative list might prompt more reaction, while George W. Bush languishes at No. 12. Anyway, whether you agree with the rankings or not, the short biogs certainly illuminate a number of key individuals in US politics, and can be used to prompt debate in class.
Obama links
There’s a raft of material out there on Obama at the moment to coincide with the President’s first year in office. This seems like the second anniversary in recent months since the media sought to celebrate his “first year” back in Nobvember when, of course, this marked 12 months since he was elected, not when he was sworn in.
See the Financial Times for an overview and analysis.
The Economist has a lengthy feature
For the next few days you can see the second part of Simon Schama’s BBC documentary on Obama.
Schama on Obama
Another documentary heads up
Divides in American party politics
Two great articles for prompting discussion on intra and inter party rivalry in American politics.
First, Andrew Sullivan looks at the rabid right wing nativist nature of the Republicans here. This suggests therefore that there are deep partisan divides in America at present. But closer analysis of the parties also reveals divisions within the Democrats. As far as some within the party are concerned, Obama’s first year has been a let down. Read about how Obama has come under attack from the left here.
Greed is good?: Corporate lobbying and US society
Useful US pressure groups example
Questions about the corrosive effects of big business in the US has tended to focus on the political damage they cause. But a new study by the IMF (of all groups!) strongly suggests that the sector of the financial industry that spends the biggest bucks on lobbying is also the most underpeforming and therefore is costing the American public. Thus there is a strong argument to suggest that they are damaging to US society as well.
The president and the American political system
It often surprises people that America, a country with arguably the most dynamic market economy, possesses a politcal system that lends itself towards stasis. Opposing forces push and pull at each other and this is down to the numerous checks and balances the framers designed into the constitution. As one of them said, ambition must be made to counter ambition. Constitutionally the president is granted only limited powers, must since the 1930s especially he is burdened with enormous expectations. The de jure limits on the president’s powers can only be overcome with adroit use of informal powers. As one constitutional scholar put it, the president has only the power to persuade.
With Obama’s stock in the USA declining it is worth bearing in mind what the 44th incumbent of the White House has achieved.
Andrew Sullivan, writing in the Sunday Times, argues that Obama is achieving large change on an incremental basis. This is a useful article to consider when looking at the powers of the president, separation of powers, checks and balances, and the extent to which the constitution is a barrier to good government.
The Decade of Terror - Reuters Pictures of the Decade
A stunning online slideshow here from Reuters tells the story of a decade of global terror and violence. Many of the images are hard-hitting. All are thought-provoking. An amazing resource to use as stimulus material for Politics units covering global issues.
Launch Reuters Images of the Decade
Disadvantages of direct democracy
There’s a great article in the xmas double issue of the Economist on the perils of direct democracy. A useful source of arguments and examples for those covering the UK and US participation in politics modules.
Obama’s First Year
As President Obama announces his long awaited Afghan strategy, attention is starting to move towards assessing the impact of his first year in office. Too timid on health reform? Is Afghanistan the new Vietnam? Is foreign policy a mess? The right think he’s in trouble, the left think he’s too timid (read this excoriating attack from the First Post’s Alexander Cockburn). But as the debate begins, Obama supporters might take heart from this very upbeat assessment in the online magazine Slate.com. Jacob Weisberg goes so far as to suggest that Obama’s first year is the most successful since Franklin D. Roosevelt’s. Read it and weep - if you’re a Republican - or cheer - if you’re a Democrat. And it’s only Year 1!
Political Donations by Your Favourite US Brands
I wish there was something similar to this available for UK businesses. Here is a fascinating interactive graphic which displays the political leanings of hundreds of leading US businesses and brands - based on their total political contributions.
The logic of communities segregated by race?
I wonder if this clip by Tim Harford will provoke debate among students about race, whether in the UK or the USA.
Glenn Beck: the renegade running the opposition to Obama
Want to get a flavour of the degree of partisanship in modern American politics?
Say the Observer:
“Glenn Beck is a TV host, bestselling author and the most influential voice on the rightwing Fox channel. Now, even some Republicans worry that the extreme and maverick views of Beck and his supporters will make their party unelectable. Is the TV tail wagging the political dog?”
Read the rest of the article and listen to this classic five minute radio rant by the man himself. It takes a little time to load up, but it is hilarious. And just a little bit scary!
read more...»American Politics revision: seven exam tips
I’ve just sent this to my upper sixth sets. It may be of some wider use.
A shifting US electorate
The Washington Post has produced time slider to see how Democratic and Republican candidates have fared in presidential and congressional elections over the past 50 years. Here is the link.
Don’t mess with Texas?
For reasons that are possibly too mundane to go into I have just read the special report on Texas from a summer edition of the Economist.
It is absolutely fascinating as a means of gaining a deeper insight into a rapidly changing state, and is a treasure trove of Americana. Did you know for instance that Texas is one of four states where whites are a minority, or that tequila was invented there?
I recommend:
Lone Star rising
The best and worst of Texas
The red and the blue
The new face of America
A Republican revival?
Once a week my students are expected to contribute something to our media sessions. A useful way to break a double, to be sure, but these are designed to supplement learning. I usually keep something up my sleave just in case discussion doesn’t flow—though thus far it has yet to be a problem.
Here was last week’s from the Independent’s Big Question series.
The geography of US jobs
One of my colleagues at school sent me this link at the weekend which displays a fascinating graphic of job creation and loss in the USA over the last few years. It gives the lie to the idea that there is such a thing as a national economy, even if there is a national picture.
It also serves to explain why despite a recent upsurge in gdp, many Americans are unhappy about the state of the economy—jobs are the pain that communities feel and make sense of. Though a note of caution here since it only gives data to July 2009.
The link is here.
Media Monday Motown
This week for our American Politics media sessions we have been looking at a quite fascinating article about industrial decline in the USA. This tells us a lot about where power lies in America and is a useful basis for considering the extent to which America does really live up to the ideals it proclaims to stand for.
Who’s that guy?
Only the 33rd most powerful man in Washington DC who is not called Obama or Biden.
So says GQ magazine (of all places) in their much anticipated DC power 50. Believe it or not this was one of the buzz topics in the American capital when I was over there recently. Hardly surprising in the most power obsessed city on earth. To paraphrase Michael Heseltine who was commenting on the ranking order of seats in Cabinet, everyone says it doesn’t matter to them, but of course it does. Terribly.
read more...»Gun crime debate
It’s not so much the graphic and the info on the decline in support for gun control in America, it’s the readers’ comments that are worth looking at. I particularly like the British v American stuff, as if that had anything to do with it: why does a comment on American society and politics by a non-native invite criticism of that person’s country? Touchy!
